The present invention is directed to an air flow sleeve system used to inject air flow into a cast and a cast structure incorporating the air flow sleeve system.
A cast holds a broken bone in place as it heals. In general, casts immobilize the joint above and the joint below the area that is to be kept straight and without motion. The outside, or hard part of the cast, may be made from casting materials such as plaster or fiberglass. Cotton (e.g. cotton undercast padding), orthopedic stockinettes, synthetic materials, waterproof materials, and other liners may be used to line the inside of the cast to make it more comfortable. However, patients still find that the body part (generally a limb) immobilized by the cast sill tend to be hot, tend to itch, or otherwise tend to be uncomfortable.
For many years there was no efficient medical treatment for the problems associated with casting such as itching. Patients suffering from the itchy side-effects of the cast were advised to take anti-itch drugs (e.g. Benadryl®). Most patients found little or no relieve from the anti-itch drugs. Some patients found the anti-itch drugs had other side effects (e.g. drowsiness). Some patients were allergic to the anti-itch drugs. Finding no relief from the anti-itch drugs, patients resorted to their own treatments.
One popular patient treatment to which suffering patients resorted was to insert foreign objects (e.g. rulers, wire clothing hangers, and dowels) into the cast. Although this might relieve the itching, there was a high risk of skin irritation, scrapes, cuts, infections (e.g. staphylococcal infections that could result in possible amputation of the casted body part), and damage to cast. In some cases the itching inside the cast becomes so intense, that patients removed the cast prematurely (sometimes by themselves and sometimes with a doctor's assistance) before the fracture or broken bone had properly healed. Premature removal of a cast can result in the fracture or broken bone relocating (which could cause permanent injury). Premature removal of the cast can also require additional visits to the hospital and/or added expenses.
Recognizing the discomfort suffered as a result of casts, attempts have been made to alleviate the discomfort. One such product is “CastBlast™.” CastBlast™ is an aerosol can that is used to inject a talc spray that is supposed to cool and soothe the skin covered by the cast. Another product is a cast ventilation system that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,469 to Bruder (the “Bruder reference”). The Bruder cast ventilation system is a tube insertable through an opening in the cast so that one end of the tube is open to the limb while the other end of the tube is open to the outside surface of the cast. A source of pressurized air is then fluidly connected to the outer end of the tube so that, upon activation of the pressurized air source, the pressurized air source blows air into the area between the inside of the cast and the limb. The Bruder reference states that air flow dries or removes any moisture which may be present on the inside surface of the cast.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,882 to Johansen (the “Johansen reference”) is directed to a cast ventilation sleeve for reducing skin irritation and odor associated with broken limbs that are immobilized for significant periods of time by casts or the like. The ventilation sleeve is an elongated flexible bag that is positioned between the cast and the skin of a limb. Specifically, the Johansen reference shows the ventilation sleeve is positioned between fabric (specifically an orthopedic stockinettes) surrounding a limb and the cast. The ventilation sleeve, when installed, is in a collapsed (un-inflated) condition such that its thickness is essentially the same as the width of the material used to make the ventilation sleeve. When air is introduced to the ventilation sleeve, the ventilation sleeve expands to an expanded condition. One side of the ventilation sleeve flexible bag has a plurality of ventilation openings through which pressurized air aerates the cast. The plurality of ventilation openings is arranged substantially along the length of the bag of the ventilation sleeve, the length of the flexible bag being dimensioned to be substantially equal to the length of the cast. An orifice and fitting (that, in one embodiment, protrudes from one end of the cast) lead into the flexible bag to provide an entrance to introduce air into the flexible bag. The fitting permits the attachment of an air tube for delivering pressurized air from a compressor to the ventilation sleeve. The air expands the flexible bag and flows out through the plurality of ventilation openings.